Club Liv: First Look

L'Oréal Blackett takes a sneak peek in the new Peter St club

NEWLY opened Peter Street nightclub Club Liv is almost guilty by association.

As the new venture from former Circle Club owner Mo Mohamud, the venue is expected to follow in the private members club footsteps and reclaim the position as Manchester's local celeb haunt. Confidential anticipates plenty of familiar (and not so familiar) faces from the telly box, amongst many of the city's known footballers.

Yet Mohamud doesn't necessarily want Club Liv to fill the Circle shaped hole left after the closure of his former club last year. He's opted for square this time with an angular design concept, and aims for Liv to fill what he believes to be a nightclub deficit in Manchester.

Club Liv

At the launch, the spector of the Circle Club lingers. There's a similar swanky feel as the immaculately dressed invitees sipped on 'Pornstar Martinis', some of the old club's alumni attend and as a basement venue it also looks similar. The comparisons are hard to avoid.

But it's better, brighter and dare I say it, friendlier. A notable difference is dancing is at the heart of Club Liv's set up. There's a large dancefloor, raised DJ area and the words 'Life Is A Party' are emblazoned on the walls to set the tone. Words to live by.

It's a sultry venue, helped by the barmen who wear leather kilts - a uniform decision the guys have all embraced. We checked.

What ever it is, it will be full of people who care more about showing off their wealth (or pretending they have wealth) and girls trying to find rich husbands to only get a sleazy night in a hotel room for the guy to go back to their wife. Crass, blingy, all money, no actual style. No one here will actually have fun as they will all be to worried about what others think of them to let their hair down.

You might be right but at least wait for it to open and then maybe go yourself before coming to that conclusion.

AnonymousApril 11th 2014.

Oh yes there's plenty of them. This is too blingy, that is too chavy, the place is rub by a gangster, the NQ has too many hipsters or beards or both, the beer in brewdog is too expensive, Man U have had enough penalties this year....Yawn. Just mention Bernstein and David will be along to moan about the Manchester Labour party.

Oh dear! The Circle 2.0? A place with a ratio of two [seedy] blokes to one [young/late teen] woman. A limited selection of overpriced drinks and slack bar staff with attitude. Sounds great. Can't any company just open a good bar these days with great choice of booze and great service without it needing to have a theme, 'crazy' cocktails or designer food? Maybe that'll be the next big thing...a theme bar with a bar theme. When Dry Bar opened in '89 it was a great place to go. It was an odd location at first. I mean Oldham Street pre-NQ hype that is. Good door policy, long bar and decent service. A mixed bag of people too. There was never a DJ back then and [of course] no late license, but it was a great pre-club destination. The first purpose built bar in Manchester IIRC. There was nothing else like it at the time. Before going to the Hacienda I'd either go straight there from the 'burbs or go to Corbiers or the Square Albert. Twenty five years on and there's a late license, tons of choice, but not a lot of quality.

You idiot there is so much bar choice in this city why care so much about this especially since you haven't been. Just go somewhere else.

AnonymousApril 11th 2014.

It's just too 'swanky' for me.

SquirrelitoApril 11th 2014.

Why moan about the (infinitely more) bars in town being different from one bar 25 years ago? You've changed, I've changed and Town's changed. We don't live in aspic or Bath. There's plenty of places you might like, if you put your chip down. Stop being a grumpy old "Back in my day" sod and get out there.

AnonymousApril 11th 2014.

@Sqirrelito of course I've changed but I still want a bar to be just that...a bar.

AnonymousApril 11th 2014.

I came to the venue launch last Saturday expecting the same Circle Club vibe. I was however pleasantly surprised the layout of the venue, mixing a sleek modern look with the basement club exposed brick work characteristic quirk. The staff are enthusiastic, professional and friendly. But what captured me was the dance floor, it's hard to describe without showing it but the comparison would be to something I have seen in Vegas & Miami and as all good clubs should be, the club is built around the dance floor unlike the likes of Bijou, Panacea & Milton, one feels like an elaborate house party and the other two are bars masquerading as clubs. Finally Manchester has a high end night club that is actually a club. It has a lot of promise but let's see how long it lasts.

You should have stopped typing after 'venue launch', because that's what it was. It'll be Circle 2.0 from here on in. Perhaps having an owner that likes a drink or two would take it in a different direction.

AnonymousApril 11th 2014.

Those who can, do. Those who can't, leave snide comments about a place before it's even fully opened.

Dress code 'apparently' is heels only! Information imparted by someone on an arrogant power-trip! Never heard anything so ridiculous. More like an alternative form of prejudice. Spreading the negative vibes.